Discounted Coles/Woolworths Deli Products Short-Dated?

dufflover on 06/01/2021 - 22:39

Something I have always wondered but have always just assumed the answer, which may be wrong …

When there's a local special at the Coles or WW deli, like 50cent kievs or chicken kebabs, I always assume they are old products and it's a short-dated sale. It never has the use-by date on the printed sticker regardless but for stuff like this it would be good to know if it is discounted because it's approaching some particular date to cook it by.

At least the prepackaged short-date stuff has the dates on them to plan accordingly.

Food & Grocery

Related Stores

Coles
Coles
Woolworths
Woolworths

Comments

  • watwatwat on 06/01/2021 - 23:22
    +2

    Excess stock or they are indeed getting old.

    They don't just discount stuff for no reason.

    • Ultimate Gattai on 06/01/2021 - 23:50
      +2

      This, this is always the reason, depends on stock levels and how many days away from the use by.

  • Dumax on 06/01/2021 - 23:42
    +1

    If it's not a catalogue special that would likely be the case. If you're worried you can always ask them for the date on the box - or even ask if they can get you one from out the back.

    • dufflover on 07/01/2021 - 00:04
      -2

      lol that's going to add up to a lot of time me asking the kids who probably won't even know where the box is?
      I should've worded this better. Being old stock is somewhat expected, but is there a safe minimum assumption we can make? Any employees know?

      To play devil's advocate, given it is only marked as a special, wouldn't the store get into trouble if it goes off way sooner than the typical stock?

      • mskeggs on 07/01/2021 - 09:19
        +4

        Things in the deli on clearance or managers special are short dated, as opposed to catalog specials.
        Staff have told me to use them or freeze them today.
        I find woolies very conservative with food safety and haven’t had any health issues consuming these items quickly or freezing until I am ready to eat them.

        The staff know the dates on things, it is a core part of the extra training they get to work in the deli, and they get a higher rate of pay too.

        • Ultimate Gattai on 09/01/2021 - 17:23

          Woolies is very strict, I'd say Coles would probably be the same, it's one of the reasons I prefer them over IGA or Audi.

      • Dumax on 07/01/2021 - 11:35
        +2

        I'm not sure what Deli you have been going to but why exactly do you think that they wouldn't be aware of where the box is? It is part of basic food safety (including restaurants) to be aware of the used by dates of the products. Staff are trained to exercise their own judgement when deciding if a product is safe for consumption as it's simply not worth the risk of selling dodgy products to customers (especially for the big ones).

        However, you as the customer have the final say in what you buy - don't like the look of the ham in the tray? Ask for some to be freshly sliced. Don't like the look of the Kievs in the case? Ask for another one from out the back. Get home and the chicken smells a bit funny? Take it back and get a refund/replacement.

  • This Guy on 06/01/2021 - 23:54

    Avoid short dated leafy greens and pre-cut onion. They have a high water content and are often consumed uncooked. Not worth the risk.

    • mskeggs on 07/01/2021 - 09:21

      What risk would the water content lead to? If the product is already contaminated, then the risk isn’t magnified because it is wilting.

      • This Guy on 08/01/2021 - 21:34

        What risk would the water content lead to?

        Water is a medium for bacteria growth. Red meat, for example, will grow bacteria on the outside only. If you defrost meat in water, or mince it, bacteria may be present throughout meaning the meat needs to be cooked throughout for it to be safe.

        If the product is already contaminated, then the risk isn’t magnified because it is wilting.

        Bacteria generally grows exponentially in a suitable substrait like water. Wilting has nothing to do with watery vegetables becoming dangerous. Potential contamination during grow is the issue.

        Come on. You have been one of the top minds of Ozbargin for close to a decade by my memory! This is high school science :p

        Yes, most deaths are from clear contamination, like:

        https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lettuce-e-coli-deaths-trump-f…

        But most food is contaminated to some extent because bacteria is everywhere.

        • mskeggs on 14/01/2021 - 22:43

          Sorry, missed this comment.
          Sure, water is necessary for growth, but it isn’t a medium like the surface of meat or dairy.
          A clean lake of water isn’t a place bacteria can grow without an energy source.
          To grow harmful bacteria, you need an energy source (food), moisture and suitable conditions like ph, oxygen and conducive light. Plus a source for the bacteria to come from.
          That’s why so many food safety mechanisms address one or more of these.

          I don’t know about sliced onions, but a head of lettuce or similar isn’t safe growing in the soil and magically unsafe once it is harvested to a supermarket shelf. There isn’t any reason to distrust greens just because they are moist, because they don’t offer the energy source for growing bacteria. It’s the same as your toothbrush - it gets wet, but isn’t a place bacteria can live because they have nothing to feed on.

          There have been cases of listeria and e.coli on greens, particularly in the USA. My understanding is these are about residue from organic fertiliser not being washed off, not about the greens ‘spoiling’ like meat might. Wash your lettuce and you’ll be fine. When greens get,old, they get wilted and saggy, which is unpalatable, but not dangerous. I guess if you left them to liquify, maybe there might be a risk, but a wilted lettuce leaf is pretty harmless.

          • mskeggs on 14/01/2021 - 22:44

            @mskeggs: Also, I can give you plenty of ozb members who will dispute any claim I have any brains! Probably including mskeggs.

          • This Guy on 16/01/2021 - 11:15

            @mskeggs: Good points.

            My understanding that e.colli spread on the surface area too, but cutting vegetables broke the seal allowing bacteria to spread inside the vegetable, like with chicken or mince.

  • Vancomycin 1000mg on 07/01/2021 - 02:03

    Most of the time it is because of excess stock sitting in the back, or the product is old.

  • AustriaBargain on 07/01/2021 - 06:39
    +3

    You've got nothing to worry about buying short-dated chicken and seafood, if you've lived a life without regret.

  • Rescue 26 on 07/01/2021 - 07:43

    I bought chicken breasts from the Woolworths deli section, took them straight home and froze them. They were not on special, so presumably not close to use-by date. Thawed them out a few weeks later and tried to cook them the same day but they were "off". I returned them to Woolworths and asked the same question as I think you are asking - how close are they to the use-by date when you buy them? The answer from the WW employee was that they always have a minimum of 2 days left on them. Presumably you have to treat this as a maximum also.

  • capslock on 07/01/2021 - 08:00

    Off topic but I saw some discounted bread in the Coles bakery the other but it clearly had mould growing on it already. I am surprised that they left it on the shelf.

    • mskeggs on 07/01/2021 - 09:22
      +2

      Did you bring it to the attention of staff? They will not knowingly sell spoiled food.

      • capslock on 07/01/2021 - 11:55

        I repositioned it on the shelf so that anyone thinking of buying it can clearly see that it is moldy.

        • Lost-Sons of dallas on 08/01/2021 - 16:04

          Oh thats nasty. The bag looks inflated from the gases given off too. Lol

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